Water-skee.



V. VOLLER.

' WATER SKBE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1913.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914 2 slums-SHEET 1'.

IN E N TOI? /QZde/fzaryalef MMM/V60 V. VOLLER.

WATER SKEE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY a, 1913.

1,091,259. Patented Mar. 24, 1914 Z'SHEHTS-SHEBT 2.

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E'Il FFICE.

VALDEMAR VOLLER, OF BEIVIIDJI, MINNESOTA.

WATEB-SKEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2d, 1914.

Application filed .T1115r '8, 1913. Serial No. 777,853.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VALDEMAR VOLLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bemidji, in the county of Beltrami and State of Minnesota, have made certain new and useful Improvements in VVater-Skees, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention is in the nature of a. water skee, my object being to provide a strong, durable and safe construction which may be readily propelled through the water, effectively guided in its course and improved in certain particular respects hereinafter particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a plan view, Fig. 2 is a side elevation, Fig. 3 is a central transverse section through the lower portion of the skee, Fig. l is an enlarged transverse section through one side of one of the floats and through one of the roller frame brackets and its guide bar. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the shutter frames and shown substantially on line .55 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section through the rear portion of the skee, also enlarged.

Referring now to these figures, my invention contemplates the provision of a pair of elongated floats A and A, each of which floats is provided adjacent its opposite edge with longitudinal side bars a, the bodies of which are spaced above the surface of the floats by means of their flattened angular ends a. secured to the float, each of these guide bars a, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, being provided with upper and lower grooved runners a2. Each of the floats is also provided at an intermediate point with an inwardly projecting foot piece A2. By means of a connecting frame to be hereinafter referred to, the floats A and A are held in parallel spaced relation, and when in normal position, their foot pieces A2 extend inwardly in opposing relation with their inner contiguous ends spaced sufficiently to avoid contact. Each of the shutter frames A3 is provided with a vertical series of supporting rods a3. Extending Vtransversely with respect to the floats and upon whichV In this manner when at will open to the position shown in dotted lines 1n Fig. 5 in order to present minimum resistance to the flow of water through the shutter frame while when the float is moved rearwardly, the shutters will close, thus offering substantial resistance to the passage of water.

The connecting frame before mentioned consists of longitudinal side bars B and B, extending centrally above the floats A and A, and forward and rear pairs of transverse bars B2, B2, B4, and B5, each of which transverse bars is provided adjacent its outer ends with spaced pairs of depending brackets o, the brackets of each pair being U- shaped as particularly shown in Fig. 4L and secured beneath the respective frame bar to open toward one another. In the upper and lower portio-ns of each of the brackets b are loosely mounted balls disposed and adapted for travel in the grooved runner strips a2 of the float guide bars a, it being seen from this arrangement that all danger of the floats becoming displaced with respect to their connecting frame, is eliminated.

Pivot-ed at c intermediate its ends, upon the transverse frame bar B3, is an upright lever C, provided with a latch mechanism c in engag-ementy with the semi-circular rack bar c2, secured upon the said frame bar, to the lower end of which lever are secured the forward ends of flexible connections C and C2, extending rearwardly over pulleys c3 and secured at their rear ends to angular arms c4 and at lthe upper end of a vertical rudder shaft C2 which is journaled through rearwardly projecting lugs b2 of the rearmost transverse frame bar B5 at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, the lower portion of this vertical rudder shaft being provided with a rudder C4 which is thus located at a point centrally between the rear ends of the lioats A and A. Extending upwardly from each of the floats A and A and mounted longitudinally thereof are U-shaped handle bars D and D, the lower ends of the extensions of these bars being formed with spherical heads Z swivelly connected in socket members d secured upon the upper surfaces of the floats forwardly and rearwardly of the foot pieces A2.

Thus in operation, the rudder C4 may be set and locked in adjusted position by means vof the handle C i and its lat-ch mechanism,

and the operator, standingvupon the foot pieces A2 and grasping the handle bars B and B may readily advance the floats A and A alternately by virtue of their rollerconneet-ion with the frame extending between Ythe same, this action resulting in propelling the device forwardly in the Water by virtue of the action of the movable shutters at as before described, This operation is simple and substantiallj7 similar to the action ot skees on the snoiv, and a person familiar- With the use of the latter may, therefore, readily acquire the knack of' actuating my improved Water skee.

elaim2- l. ln a Water skee, the combination of a. pair of floats spaced apart and provided with guide bars having grooved runner strips, a frame extendingl between and connecting the said floats and having roller carrying brackets, the rollers of which are engaged with the runner strips of the float guide bars, inwardly projecting foot pieces carried by the floats, inwardly projecting shutter frames also carried by the floats, movable shutters mounted Within the sluitter frames and overlapping one another in closed position when the floats are moved in one direction, said shutter frames and shutters being located below the foot pieces, a rudder carried by the rear portion of the connecting frame, a lever having connections for locking the rudder in adjusted position, and handle bars extending above the foot pieces and having swiveled connections at their lower ends with the floats all for the purpose described.

2. In a Water skee of the character described, the combination of a pair of spaced apart independently movable Heats, a frame connecting the floats and having roller connections with each of the said floats whereby the latter may be moved in the frame, a series of movable, overlapping shutters earried by each of the said lioats which open when the floats are moved in one direction, a rudder and rudder control carried by the connecting frame, and handle bars connected to and upstandingfrom the floats, all for the purpose described.

3. In a Water skee, the combination of a pair of independently movable floats connected in spaced parallel relation and provided With upwardly projecting handle bars, foot pieces carried by the said floats below the handle bars, and laterally projecting shutters movably mounted in a vertical series in connection with each of the floats and overlapping one another in closed position when their respective float is moved in one direction.

l. In a water skee, the combination of a pair of spaced, independently movable floats connected in parallel relation and provided with foot pieces, laterally projecting shutters arranged in a vertical series in connection ivith each of' the floats, and overlapping one another in closed position when the respective float is moved in one direction, and U-shaped handle bars projecting above the said foot pieces and having swiveled connections at their loiver ends with the floats, 'for the purpose described.

5. n a Water sliee, the combination oLl a pair of floats spaced apart and provided with rigid lguide bars, a frame extending between and connecting the said float-s and having roller mounted brackets, the rollers of which are engaged with the guide bars of the floats, inwardly projecting foot pieces carried by the floats, inwardly projecting shutter frames also carried by the lloats and connected to the same and to the said ioot pieces, movable shutters mounted within the shutter frames and overlapping one another in closed position when the floats are moved in one direction, handle bars extending above the Heats, and a rudder and controlling connections for guiding the floats in their movement, all for the purpose described.

VALDEMA?` VOLLER. lllitnesses:

l. H. Soi-innpnncn, C. M. JacosoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

